It was in Las Vegas that the Canadian superstar prepared the series of shows she will perform in Paris starting in September. She lived in Sin City for more than 20 years and reached the height of her career by reinventing the concept of a residency.
By Gaspard Dhellemmes
In the summer in Las Vegas, the air can be so dry, so hot, that it burns your eyes. The temperature hovered near 45°C (113°F) on one July afternoon, typical for a city built in the heart of the Mojave Desert. Hundreds of tourists made their way along the Strip, shielding themselves from the sun's scorching rays with umbrellas before taking refuge in the icy pools of casino hotels. This mineral, noisy and stiflingly hot city would seem the last place anyone would choose for a studious summer. Yet this was exactly where Céline Dion spent hers. Every day, the 58-year-old singer drove from her property in Lake Las Vegas, about a 45-minute drive from the Strip, to the studio at the Palms Casino Resort, one of the city's luxurious hotel complexes.
This studio, with its muted design, leather sofa and dark wood finishes, is only 20 years old but has already witnessed several key moments in pop music: Michael Jackson came here to sing just before his death. Britney Spears found refuge here in the wake of her chaotic performance at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Céline Dion has now been calling the space home for several months.
It was here that she honed her voice and rehearsed, via videoconference, with her musicians, who were in Montréal. She recorded the songs for her upcoming French-language album here (including "Dansons," which was released in April) and shot the videos that will be shown on the screens of the Plenitude Arena in Paris during her unprecedented multi-week residency, starting on September 12.
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